


take three steps to your left; take me with you

by Reign2Rain



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25418545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reign2Rain/pseuds/Reign2Rain
Summary: Takahiro’s not sure why but he hates it when people get Matsukawa wrong. And they always seem to.
Relationships: Hanamaki Takahiro & Iwaizumi Hajime & Matsukawa Issei & Oikawa Tooru, Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei
Comments: 17
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

Takahiro’s not sure why but he hates it when people get Matsukawa wrong. And they always seem to.

He’s heard the girl that sits behind them say, she admires Matsukawa’s work ethic. Takahiro had snorted then and he still scoffs every other time he remembers the incident. How many times had the two of them spent days shredding their records in gaming tournies or biked through hills to head to the gym when Oikawa’s texted to ask them to play? And then when nightfall eventually ambushed them they’d haul ass to finish reports, problem sets, whatever.

On another day, he’d walked by the water fountains where the girls did their group-pack thing and he’d heard how one of them thought Matsukawa was really funny. She’d said it with a little laugh of delight, and Takahiro had walked back to the guys thinking about how the word was wrong. Matsukawa’s not funny, Takahiro decides, after very thorough thoughtful contemplation. Matsukawa is just a goofy guy who happens to involve himself in entertaining occasions. Even better, Matsukawa likes to involve them both. Well. They both do. And Takahiro won’t say their activities have been epic, but they’ve been...epic.

On the other side of the spectrum, he knows the guys all think Matsukawa’s cool, independent, charming- knows they think he’s always this guy. Collected, someone that has himself together; not like the scattered lost little boys they all feel like once in a while. Takahiro has nothing against them, but it’s weird. They’ll talk to Matsukawa and it’s Takahiro who feels like he needs to bit his tongue to prevents the rabid words trying to rip out of his throat. He thinks he knows why though. He knows the guys think they want to be Matsukawa. He can see it in the width of their smiles and gestures, hear the snippets of respect in their voices treading on adoration.

People think they know people, and sometimes they do. At least just as often as the number of times they don’t. So why does Takahiro keep taking something so trivial, so personal?

He could head down this path again, but all the roads lead back to their small town. He knows why. It’s because when Takahiro looks at them, he sees guys who weren’t there when Matsukawa needed someone, anyone. No, not anyone, Takahiro will take that one back.

Because most don’t know that sometimes Matsukawa’s eyes darken and his smile flickers out like someone’s blown out the last candle in a vigil, because Matsukawa feels the most alone when he’s among people. They don’t think too much when Matsukawa goes from quiet, slotting the occasional chuckle or comment into the conversation, to silent. And they’ll never know it’s because Matsukawa wants, _needs_ to be anywhere but there, that the want is terrible, asphyxiating. Or that Matsukawa will leave it be, let it quell him before he resists in front of people.

He knows these things because he hurts when Matsukawa does.

\---

Okay. So Takahiro knows what he hates. He’s just having problems conceptualizing a reason behind it.

And that actually bothers him so much he poses the problem as a modified question to the only other person he knows that deconstructs their problems as methodically as Takahiro does.

“Well.” Oikawa says.

They always use Takahiro’s house because he has _snacks_ and Joe Volleyball uses it as a cheat day excuse out of the strict regimen he enthusiastically imposed on himself.

“You know him the best,” Oikawa points out, splayed over two thirds of the couch with his head in Takahiro’s lap. Oikawa parts his mouth and waits.

They have a rule: Oikawa only spits out real shit after he’s received offerings.

Takahiro drops half a stalk of pocky, which Oikawa practically inhales.

“Mattsun’s your best friend.” Oikawa holds Takahiro’s gaze easily. “You just want to make sure he’s properly represented. You want people know the real him, not their constructed version of him, because he’s just as perfect with his emotional baggage as he is with out it.”

Takahiro never agrees with Oikawa but he doesn’t see a reason not to now. “You’re right,” he says, exhaling slowly. “Okay. That’s fine, this is fine. Hmm.” Takahiro purses his lips. Wispy air blasts through the gap between them when he breathes out again.

“Of course.” Oikawa says, peering up at Takahiro. He’s smiling, just a little, with a soft warmth in his eyes. Takahiro feels like he’s softening too, maybe shoulders starting to go lax. Pff, Oikawa’s a pretty good friend when he wants to be.

“Oh we forgot something,” Oikawa says again, and this time there’s thoughtfulness sharpening the eyes sweeping over Takahiro. “We didn’t get to the part where you’re in love with him.”

Takahiro freezes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crossposted from tumblr  
> kudos and comments appreciated


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quiet confidence Matsukawa wears is rare, but it’s the same kind Oikawa has, putting the ball in Iwaizumi’s hands without hesitation, without doubt, day after day. Each of them has the other’s faith; are each part of the other’s confidence in himself.
> 
> Maybe it’s not wise to compare, but Takahiro thinks he places a similar kind of trust in Matsukawa.
> 
> [Alternatively: ah. shit, Oikawa might be right. He likes Matsukawa.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter might honestly serve better as a standalone but whatever. Matsuhana ftw

Before Takahiro knows it, his arm is out. Is it really his fault though? It’s not like this was a first-degree planned nose-grabbing. One second Oikawa is saying some bull; and the another, Oikawa’s nose is just...in Takahiro’s crab-claw. His heart’s pounding a little faster than usual, but it’s Gucci. 

“Makki! That hurts my conker!.” Oikawa squirms into a sitting position and then scoots his ass back, pretty much over Takahiro’s lap to prevent his nose from getting torn off.

“Nice conk bro.”

When Oikawa _wrinkles_ his nose, Takahiro lets go. He keeps wiggling it, exercising it with ugly ogre faces and complaining he can’t smell Takahiro’s teen reek or something like that.

“Hey, I’ve seen you looking at Iwaizumi after practice.” Takahiro shakes his head. “Just because he’s all sweaty-”

“That’s not-!” Oikawa jumps up, yelling. “He’s not-! You can’t _just_ say-”

Takahiro laughs. Three years of friendship have given Oikawa neural damage, a better poker face, and a properly tainted sense of humor, but specially made mentions of Iwaizumi Hajime still sends him into a loud, quacky fluster.

“You know,” he says casually, comfortably stretching, splaying his arms out over the couch. “I’ve caught him staring back at you.” Leaving a soft pause for the atmosphere shift, Takahiro tilts his head to the side with a small, lopsided grin and waits.

Yes, he expects Oikawa to melt. Instead, Oikawa lets out a small sigh and plunks back down beside Takahiro. His gaze shifts from ground to ceiling and back again. A tiny, hard pit plunks into Takahiro’s stomach. Apprehension. He’s about to joke about how he _never_ makes Oikawa wait _this_ long when he’s teasing him, but the noise that comes out is a sad sort of wheeze that he ends up trying to pass off as a cough.

At last, Oikawa pursues his lips. Takahiro’s given him an opening and he’s taking it. “Makki. You’re in love with Mattsukawa-”

Takahiro’s breath hitches.

“And he’s in love with you.” Oikawa skewers him with his gaze, captain to one of his men, like they’re in one last match. “So. How about you save us spectators the time and-”

Never Gonna Give You Up rings shrilly through the air.

Oikawa’s mouth drops open. Takahiro he lunges for his phone. “Matsukawa,” he reads off the screen like they hadn’t both known from the ringtone.

“Huh. Well.” hums Oikawa. “I need to take a piss.” And he flounces off the couch with that.

Takahiro flexes his fingers, nails digging into his palm. They’re too long again, he thinks, drawing a long inhale. He’s not...he’s not nervous about taking a call from his best friend. 

Of course he’s nervous. After what Oikawa tried to imply-

He presses the phone against his ear. “Go for Makki.”

“ _Yes, hello, I would like some chikky nuggies.”_

“Sorry, sir.” Takahiro yawns into the receiver. And into Matsukawa’s ear. “We’re all out. Does that make you hangry?”

 _“Little bit.”_ Matsukawa’s low voice sounds rougher than normal, like he’s got something caught in his throat or taken a pinch of Iwaizumi’s gruff soul. The line crackles. “ _What say you make it up to me?”_

“Mmm? What’d you have in mind?” In his peripheral, he notices Oikawa stalking over here with a shit-eating grin Takahiro’s more familiar seeing on Matsukawa’s face.

“ _The usual. Pick you up in four?”_

“Yeah.” Takahiro says, partially distracted with batting at Oikawa. He’s not going to give _captain_ the opportunity to say something ridiculous like... _stop flirting Makki!_ For one, they’re _not_ flirting. And for another, this is how their friendship works: Takahiro makes fun of Oikawa; the teasing in their relationship is strictly one way. To Matsukawa, he says “Wait.”

“ _Mmm?”_

“I’m at Oikawa’s. It’s not rude if I tell him we don’t want him hanging out with us if I say it to his face, right?”

Oikawa leans over and gets his hands on Takahiro’s phone. He might be unable to rip it out of Takahiro’s grip,but he can, and does, bring his head down to yowl, “Fine! Enjoy your date without me!”

Oikawa’s going to die soon and it’s a shame Takahiro will be too busy disposing the evidence to attend the funeral.

“ _Okay make that five minutes. Also. Forgot to mention,”_ Matsukawa says, smooth as ever. “ _Iwaizumi’s sleeping over for the night. If you guys want, I guess we could make it a foursome.”_

“Dude, don’t be gross.” Takahiro grumbles. “That’s almost as yucky as thinking about how Oikawa spends the entire time oogling Iwaizumi.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Oikawa huffs. “Oikawa-sama likes Iwa-chan, Oikawa-sama likes Iwa-chan without a shirt on! Everyone knows and all they do is bully Oikawa-sama about it!” Oikawa finally pauses to breathe. “Also, Makki says we’ll be there. And he says he wants to be sleeping with you guys tonight.”

“ _Cool. Gross but cool.”_

“Yeah, great.” Takahiro says as flatly as he can muster. “Mattsun, hurry up and rescue me from the crazy man?”

 _“I’m coming, I’m coming.” S_ tatic crackles over the line. Matsukawa’s probably has the phone awkwardly caught between his shoulder and ear, to free his hands. _“See you soon, yeah?”_

Takahiro opens his mouth. And closes it abruptly. 

It’s nothing new, Matsukawa waiting for Takahiro to sign off. Matsukawa knows Takahiro hates feeling burdensome. Matsukawa always lets Takahiro end the call, no matter how silly they start out to be. It’s nothing new, but it’s one of Takahiro’s many preferences that Matsukawa just never forgets. It’s nothing new, but for someone infuriatingly attached to simplicity, Matsukawa sure goes out of his way a lot for Takahiro. 

_“Makki?”_

“Yeah.” Takahiro bites himself in the tongue. “See you soon.”

He jabs the end call button before he can do anything else. When he catches Oikawa’s mouth twisting he asks, “What?”

“Nothing,” Oikawa says, straight faced. And then when he can’t help himself, he wears a dopey grin.“Y’all are just so fucking cute.”

Takahiro rolls his eyes, even as a slow heat creeps up his neck. He gathers his things and gives Oikawa a quick hug before making for the door. Then he delivers a swift kick to the ass when captain makes the mistake of showing his back.

“ _Makki_!”

“See you tonight!” he shouts, dashing out the door and right into his getaway man.

“Ow,” Matsukawa drawls, standing in a casual gray set of t-shirt and pants. He’s flexing his jaw because Takahiro friggen _headbutted_ him. “I know you missed me but tone down the Iwaizumi-affection.”

Takahiro hardly thinks twice before snagging him by the wrist and hightailing them both away from the danger zone. “Stop slowing me down,” he chokes, and Matsukawa laughs. They almost make it.

“Oi!” Takahiro scowls, whirling around. “You asshat, Crocs only!” He snatches up the sneaker from where it’d bounced off his back and flings it at its owner. 

“That hurt, Makki!! My ass and my feelings!!”

“Yeah, yeah. Catch you later, captain.”

Matsukawa snickers and Takahiro elbows him in the ribs as they walk down Oikawa’s driveway. “You were absolutely no help, you big lug. Should’ve known...would’ve ditched you immediately.” 

“After I kindly offered a ride? Youch.” Matsukawa peers at him. He might only be a few inches taller but it does mean Takahiro has to pass over his lips to get to his gaze.

But since Oikawa’s said what he said...Takahiro looks away. Hovers and talks at the passenger side door. “Wanna give me the keys?”

They both know he hates driving.

Matsukawa snorts. Apparently he’s not even going to dignify the shoddy joke with a response.

The truth is, they both know a lot of things, Takahiro starts to think. He leans against the window, the glass cool to his skin. But maybe Oikawa’s right and he’s missed one.

_...you’re in love with Matsukawa..._ _and he’s in love with you._

  
Just to be practical, to _seriously think about_ what it would be like, Takahiro takes a hot second to hand control over to his imagination. Imagines himself turning his body, tilting his head, looking into dark eyes, a bright grin, pulling Matsukawa in and- Takahiro swallows. So he’s flushing. Okay. This is okay, hahaha...

They reverse out the driveway, Matsukawa shifting gears and into traffic with an ease Takahiro should be jealous of. But Matsukawa moves, does it all like it’s secondhand nature. The quiet confidence he wears is rare, but it’s the same kind Oikawa has, putting the ball in Iwaizumi’s hands without hesitation, without doubt, day after day. Each of them has the other’s confidence; are each part of the other’s confidence in himself.

Takahiro leans back and closes his eyes, lets the hot sun wash over his thighs, soaking through his shirt.

Maybe it’s not wise to compare, but Takahiro thinks he places a similar kind of trust in Matsukawa. Or at least the most trust he can muster. 

After all, he is a cynic. He’s the one who tells Oikawa they could never have won nationals anyways, and that the likelihood of going to nationals was made in the same ridiculous mold. He’s not a shonen protagonist. His faith is not in people; it’s in numbers, in facts. And that’s how it’s always going to be.

But. Takahiro thinks, thinks that if that was ever going to be different, maybe it’d be because of Matsukawa. 

“Hey.”

Takahiro blinks himself alert. Matsukawa’s turning the car around, sliding into the parking lot. They’re lucky there’s a spot right at the front of the diner, even if it’s a bit of a tight fit between two SUVs. “We’re here, meathead.”

“Meathead?” 

“It was that or meatball.”

“How hungry are you.” Takahiro springs his seat belt free and he’s got a hand on the door handle when all of a sudden, Matsukawa drops his phone into Takahiro’s lap.

“I’ll go. Do me a favor and text Iwaizumi back for me?”

Takahiro nearly unhinges his jaw. “Do you realize the amount of power you’re giving me. Do you know how much restraint I am being forced to perform right now.” _Oh Holy Mother of Volleyball_ \- he could change all of his contacts to Oikawa’s number.

Matsukawa grins his _hey!-i’m-the-boy-next-door_ grin. The corners of his eye crinkling and all, and _shit, he’s cute._

Okay, but he’s always been cute!! This is nothing new either!!!

“I am looking away,” Matsukawa says, hopping out his car. “The usual?”

Takahiro nods. Watches Matsukawa turn, watches his back grow smaller as he walks away.

 _And he’s in love with you,_ rings in his ears once more _._

Is he? Because. If Matsukawa was. And they both...wanted to give it a try...

His shorts are suddenly shifting. He looks down, wraps his fingers around the phone starting to slide down his thigh and brings it up to examine.

The lockscreen’s an old blurry photo of the seniors previous to practice (but the picture changes often. When Oikawa’s bored or Iwaizumi’s feeling vindictive and finally ready to retaliate, or when Takahiro wants to. Often, like he said.). There isn’t a password because Matsukawa says he has nothing to hide, but mostly because Takahiro refuses to memorize any numbers he’s not going to use on a test and it’s more fun using Matsukawa’s phone than his own for some reason.

He makes a quick pit stop at the Photo Gallery, creating copies of some of the pictures of the guys and annotates extra dicks onto them. Most of them are actually photos _he’s_ taken, he realizes. While he’s wondering if he should go ahead and delete some of the bullshit photos so Matsukawa doesn’t need to when he wants to download a new game and he’s got no space, Takahiro remembers he’s supposed to be replying to Iwaizumi. Contacts...there, Iwaizumi’s the first one.

_You: so 8?  
_

_Iwaizumi: yeah.  
Iwaizumi: unless  
Iwaizumi: you know  
  
You: ?_

_Iwaizumi: you know.  
Iwaizumi: you and hanamaki take a detour_

_Iwaizumi: to talk bout your feelings_ _  
_ _Iwaizumi: you’re going to right_

Matsukawa’s left it at that, left Iwaizumi on read.

Takahiro blinks.

_Matsukawa wants him to answer Iwaizumi’s text._

Matsukawa’s giving him an easy out.

Takahiro closes his eyes. What. Is. Going. On. What does this even mean!!! He reads the text again and- Iwaizumi had said _your_. What.

He doesn’t get much time to think about the implications because Matsukawa’s walking up to him, passing him his order. The smell of hot food isn’t anywhere near as attractive as it usually is, so he place it on his lap. It can wait. He’s not sure if it’s appropriate to laugh out his nerves or glare, with Matsukawa slipping into his own seat, calm and collected as ever. From head to toe, in every piece of his posture and each inch of his expression, Matsukawa Issei tells the world just how perfectly at peace he is with it. Takahiro compromises by biting his own tongue, which triggers his swear-reflex.

Matsukawa snickers.

 _Ohoho, alright._ Takahiro dials up his glare to the max. “Got something to say, asshole?”

“Yeah, actually,” Matsukawa’s lips twitch, a sign he’s suppressing a smile. Takahiro tries to do the same until the blocker says, “You’ve been kind of spacey. What’s up?”

“Ah.” Takahiro ducks his head. “Not much.” _Just realizing I’d like to kiss you. Whaboutyou?_ ”Oikawa just. Said a thing.”

“Mm?”

Matsukawa’s not expecting a reply, he’s just offering Takahiro the opportunity to, should he want it. Affection, warm and rich, blooms in the spiker’s chest. His shoulders sink, falling lax. If he smiles, a little, sue him. “Pretty insightful thing too. Unusually helpful for a change.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. It turns out, before you talk about your feelings,” Takahiro says, looking right at Matsukawa while his ears burst into flames. “You have to be aware of them.”

“Holy shit.” Matsukawa blinks. And then he slaps a hand over his eyes and starts laughing, his shoulders actually shaking. Takahiro should kick hit him or run for the hills, right, except Matsukawa is talking to himself. “Wow. Iwaizumi was...right. I mean. And I thought-”

“Issei.”

“I’ve.” He finally meets Takahiro’s eyes. “Had the biggest crush on you. Since end of first year. And you never knew?”

His expression must have answer because the silly guy starts laughing again and Takahiro honest to the gods, feels giddy enough to join in. “Were you going to tell me?”

A gentle shrug. “Don’t know. Wanted to though.”

Takahiro hums. Neither of them have said the real words though and maybe they should do the thing the conventional way? “So.” he begins. “What would you say if we called today a date?”

“Ask you when the next one would be?” Matsukawa puts a hand on the back of his head, an act which Takahiro recognizes as nervous. “Or ask, ‘wait, so you do like me, right?’“

He’s so silly, Takahiro marvels. _So_ silly _._

* * *

(Epilogue)

Five minutes past eight, Takahiro enters Oikawa’s house. With his boyfriend.

 _Boyfriend boyfriend boyfrienddd boyyyfriend boyfriend Matsukawa-boyfriend-Issei._

These thoughts do not belong _aloud,_ it turns out, when Oikawa spots them and immediately yells- nonsense at first, and then something along the same lines. Following up, is a demanding, “So?? Did you kiss yet? Yo! Answer the question! Did y’all kiss??” Iwaizumi rolls his eyes and tells him to mind his own business.

“Do you really want to know, captain?” Matsukawa smirks. Takahiro’s fingers find his and they link. Watching Oikawa’s eyes expand to the size of dinner plates is just as satisfying as watching the cogs in his brain turning to try and figure out the answer on his own the rest of the night. In the meantime, they’ve taken their spots on the couch while Iwaizumi fiddles with game settings to accommodate the four of them. It’s game night after all.

(Yeah, Takahiro supposes he owes Oikawa; he’ll give the details captain is dying for later. _OR._ he muses. Maybe he’ll get Oikawa and Iwaizumi together and then call his dues paid? Matsukawa would be down for either.)

Iwaizumi is as characteristically Iwaizumi as ever. At the snack break, Takahiro sees him giving Matsukawa a shoulder pat, and thinks that’s it. After the two of them get knocked out of the Smash Bros round early he plans on sitting back to watch the defending champion and Mr. Kirby war. Instead, he finds his shoulder being tapped and follows, getting led into the kitchen.

Vice captain hands him a water and leans on the counter. “Congrats.”

“Thanks, Iwaizumi-kun.” he deadpans. “I’m sorry we couldn’t work things out but I’ll cherish the memories.”

“Hey, man, I’ll punch you. No boyfriend around to defend you, y’know.” Iwaizumi taunts.

Takahiro smirks right back at him. He’s not sure if he could be happier if he tried. “So what’s this about?” 

Iwaizumi tilts his head to the side. “Oikawa tells me he helped you.”

“Yeah,” Takahiro can allow this. He nods. “Just like you helped Issei.”

“Ha! If only you knew.”

Takahiro raises a brow.

“You know the texts I sent him?” Iwaizumi’s grin is so very wolfish. “He _asked_ me to send them. Fabricated all of them himself. He had me s _et you guys up_.” And then he's calling out “See you later!” due to the fact Takahiro is hightailing out of the room.

Oikawa is absolutely beating the shit out of Metaknight, although Matsukawa’s still winning the trash-talking contest. But as Takahiro enters the room, he trails off, eyes leaving the screen for Takahiro’s. Taking his opportunity, Oikawa finally pushes Metaknight off the platform and whoops to kingdom come. It doesn’t really matter though, Takahiro has walked over, leaning down.

Matsukawa meets him midway. The kiss is soft and sweet but it still messes him up. In the best way ever.

Oikawa’s squeaks go ignored.

“You’re adorable.” Takahiro shakes his head as he sinks into the spot besides the blocker on the couch. He puts his head on Matsukawa’s shoulder and breathes in cotton and cool.

“Iwaizumi sold me out, huh?”

Another kiss stolen. “Dibs on him as my best man.”

Matsukawa snickers while Oikawa protests, “The hell? What about me? Makki, I had your back! I made the play of the year! I’m literally game MVP.”

Iwaizumi appears, nudging Oikawa to scoot over until they both have enough space. “I heard my name?” He gets himself two fistbumps. 

Oikawa scowls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa plays Kirby specifically out of spite. ("Kirby's a dumb character." "I'm going to eat you first.") Makki's preference is Pit (why. Mattsun shakes his head sadly. "I love you but why." and Iwaizumi's Ike (ikemen hahaha, ow ow kidding iwa-chan.)  
> (Also Matsuhana feel bad for Oikawa lmao so they take iwaoi matters into their own hands.)
> 
> Thank you for reading this little fic!  
> Please let me know if you liked it!!!!! I really enjoyed writing the boys!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please interact with me, I need to get involved in the fandom :3


End file.
